Skip to main content

Off-season League Notes: Details on Franco, Bastardo, Galvis and more

Throughout the winter season, our weekly rundown reviews how Phillies players are performing in the various off-season leagues around the globe. Read ahead for the latest on many familiar names, some top prospects and plenty more.

Dominican Winter League...

Maikel Franco, image- gigantessfm.com
Maikel Franco-  In 37 games the righty batting Franco has tallied a .237 average with seven doubles, two home runs, 12 RBI and three steals for the Gigantes.  The 21-year-old had a standout 2013, mashing 31 homers and driving in 103 runs in 134 games with Clearwater and Reading during the regular season.
3B/1B

LHP Antonio Bastardo- The 28-year-old has a 0-1 record with a 0.84 ERA ERA in 11 relief outings for the Gigantes.  Through 10 2/3 innings, Bastardo has struck out 19 batters while walking two.  In 48 big league games this year Bastardo sported a 3-2 record with two saves and a 2.32 ERA.

Catcher Tommy Joseph- The 22-year-old righty hitter has a .192 average with two doubles and two RBI through nine games for the Estrellas.  Joseph missed considerable time with concussion related issues during the 2013 regular season and batted .179 in 36 minor league games.  Joseph was a 2nd round draft selection by the Giants in 2009.

OF Leandro Castro- The 24-year-old sports a .237 average with five doubles and six RBI in 20 games for the Estrellas.  In 117 games for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, the righty batting Castro tallied a .256 average with eight home runs and 55 RBI.

RHP Luis Garcia- The 26-year-old has a 1-0 record with a 3.12 ERA and a .185 batting average against through nine games for the Estrellas.  In 24 games at three levels of the minors this year, Garcia posted a 3.73 ERA and a .237 batting average against.

RHP Hector Neris- The 24-year-old sports a 1-0 record along with a 2.45 ERA while striking out four and walking five in 7 1/3 innings pitched for the Toros.  Neris posted a 6-4 record with a 4.55 ERA and a .241 batting average against in 46 games this year for Double-A Reading.


Venezuelan Winter League-

Shortstop Freddy Galvis- The 23-year-old is batting .302 with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 17 RBI and four stolen bases in 36 games for Zulia.  The switch-hitting Galvis sported a .234 average with six home runs and 19 RBI in 70 big league games this year.

RHP Severino Gonzalez- The 21-year-old, who was honored as the Phils' Paul Owens Award winner this year, has posted a 0-1 record along with an 8.10 ERA and a .414 batting average against in four appearances for La Guaira.  Gonzalez last pitched on November 22nd.  In the regular season, Gonzalez posted a 7-5 record with a 2.00 ERA and a 10.33 K/9 mark in 25 games at three levels of the minors.

LHP Mario Hollands- In four games (one start), the 25-year-old is sporting a 0.96 ERA with no decisions for La Guaira. Hollands has struck out nine batters and walked three in 9 1/3 innings. Hollands, the Phils' 10th round draft selection from 2010, went 7-3 with a 2.86 ERA in 27 combined games with Clearwater and Reading this year.

LHP Cesar Jimenez- The 29-year-old has tallied a 0-1 record and a 4.70 ERA in seven appearances for Lara. Jimenez has struck out eight and walked four in 7 2/3 innings.  In 19 big league games this year, Jimenez posted a 1-1 record along with a 3.71 ERA and a .226 batting average against.

Infielder Andres Blanco- The 29-year-old is 2-for-11 (.182 avg) in nine games with Magallanes. Blanco, who played with the Triple-A Iron Pigs in 2012, is a .255 hitter in 235 big league games.  The switch-hitting Blanco was re-signed by the Phillies this off-season.

Mexican Winter League...

Catcher Sebastian Valle- The righty batting 23-year-old has hit safely in four straight games and has played some left field recently.  Overall in 33 contests for Los Mochis, Valle is sporting a .258 average with seven doubles, a homer and four RBI.  Valle posted a .203 batting average with 12 homers and 41 RBI in 98 games with Double-A Reading this year.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

PhoulBallz Interview: Reading second baseman Jesmuel Valentin

Jesmuel Valentin, image- Jay Floyd Switch-hitting infielder Jesmuel Valentin has been a bit of an underrated contributor with the Double-A Reading Fightins. Heading into action on Friday, Valentin was batting .339 over his last 14 games. Overall this season, the 22-year-old is batting .282 with four home runs and 35 RBI in 64 games. Valentin, who plays mostly second base, but dabbles at shortstop a bit also, is the son of former big leaguer Jose Valentin . The Puerto Rico native was a supplementary round pick (51st overall) of the Dodgers in 2012. He was acquired by the Phils as part of the Roberto Hernandez trade in 2014. Recently, I spoke with Jesmuel about his team's success, growing up around the game and more. Read ahead for that full interview. -The Reading team has been great and you've contributed very nicely to the club's success. What are your thoughts on competition in the Eastern League this year? I just came here with the mindset that...

2018 Phillies Prospect Countdown: #25 Second Baseman Jesmuel Valentin

Jesmuel Valentin, image- Jay Floyd Second baseman Jesmuel Valentin has become a solid contributor at each level he has played and could possess the ability to continue that success as he approaches the big leagues. Last year in spring training with the big league team Valentin proved he could contribute and earned consideration at making the Phillies opening day roster. His 2017 was cut short at the Triple-A level due to an injury in May, so he wasn't healthy for a call up during the season. But now, fully healthy and on the diamond in the Roberto Clemente League (the Puerto Rico Winter League), Valentin is hopeful he'll get another shot at his big league dream this year. Selected as the 51st overall draft pick in 2012, Valentin was quickly a well-hyped prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. Upon signing his initial professional contract fresh out of high school, the switch-hitter debuted in the rookie level Arizona League, posting a .211 average while...

Ring-a-ling

This week I heard old news about how when the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, they gave former Colt Edgerrin James a championship ring. "Edge" had been a Colt for seven years, and even though he was gone when they won the big one, the team and the coaching staff felt as though James had contributed in building the team that won it all, so they awarded him a ring. This got me wondering which people, in an extended Phillies phamily , would be deserving of a 2008 World Series Champions ring. I heard an interview with Mike Schmidt, in the days that followed the Series, and when asked if he thought he'd get a ring, he said, "They have my (ring) size." Schmidt, the Hall of Fame thirdbaseman , was a long time Phillie, a one time coach of the single-A Clearwater Threshers (where he managed World Series MVP Cole Hamels ) and appears as a guest hitting instructor in Phillies spring training every year. With all those things in mind, of course Mike Schmidt shou...